Hundreds Show Up to Clean Up the Delaware

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DINGMANS TOWNSHIP -- Paddling for miles and picking up trash along the Delaware River -- that's how some volunteers spent their day here in the Poconos.

"It's a nice day and we are doing a good thing," said Skip Bakersmith, Stroudsburg.

The annual Delaware River Cleanup is hosted by the National Park Service.

Tons of trash gets collected by volunteers.

Ruth Jones from Kittatinny Canoes is the one who started this cleanup 27 years ago.

"Some of these volunteers have been to most of all the cleanups. It's like a big reunion every year. It's like a family reunion. They do a good job they are very dedicated," said Ruth Jones, Kittatinny Canoes.

Dedicated indeed! Some even came equipped with scuba gear.

"When we get to a deep spot, we take the canoe to the side of the river, just like pulling over to the side of the road and we put our gear on and go down and get some tires and cans and water bottles, things like that," said Kelly Figler, Bethlehem.

Volunteers tell us they have noticed the river is a lot cleaner in recent years, but that doesn't mean they've never filled up one of these with some strange things.

Bob Jackson from New Jersey earned the nickname, "Tire King" here at the cleanup.

He has a long list of other findings too.

"Found a note in a bottle a few years ago, a wine bottle. We found it, had to break the bottle open and unfortunately it was in Russian so we had it translated and it was someone wishing somebody else good luck on their forthcoming wedding," said Bob Jackson, New Jersey.

"False teeth, 18 sticks of dynamite, 1962 pickup truck which we cut apart with a torch and carried down the river and canoes," said Jones.

Others tell us spending a day on the Delaware for a good cause, is a good time.

"I love canoeing and cleaning the environment is just a second thing, it adds to it," said Michael LeDuke, New Jersey.

To date, more than 450 tons of trash has been picked up along the Delaware River.